


Flourishing: a Septimus Heap week 2020 fanfic

by Astral_Embers



Category: Septimus Heap - Angie Sage
Genre: 1000 words, Flourishing, Septimusheapweek2020, short fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26569783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astral_Embers/pseuds/Astral_Embers
Summary: My fic for day 1 of Setimus Heap week 2020, the prompt was: flourishing. Hope you enjoy!
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Flourishing: a Septimus Heap week 2020 fanfic

### Flourishing

The grass glistened in the morning dew as Jenna strolled through the palace gardens. The big freeze had just ended and a new spring was rearing its head. The memories of Hotep-Ra still pressed into the cover of the book she carried with her. “The Queen Rules.” What was once a heavy burden now rested lightly in her hands as she looked over the new cover for the hundredth, thousandth time. This was perhaps her favourite time of the year, the new flowers were growing in the gardens, and the animals that called the gardens home were letting the springtime babies out for their first taste of the new year. Things were good. Not even her mother could ruin her good mood today. Recently Queen Cerys had taken to leaving her room and wandering around the castle much to Jenna’s irritation at times. The last thing any young queen needed was her mother passing through her chambers in the morning and commenting on the mess that Jenna could only believe was in her imagination. After all Jenna was the tidiest of all of the Heap children. And thinking of her mother Jenna remembered that today she was meeting her other mother (or caretaker as Cerys had taken to calling her) Sarah Heap. Jenna and Sarah’s springtime walks were a tradition, ever since Silas took the boys out to fish, Jenna and her mother would stay at home working on potions and going out to see the spring market to see what little trinkets they could spy amongst the stalls.

With her morning walk in the gardens done and a quick breakfast wolfed down, Jenna waved goodbye to the ghost of Sir Hereward and set off towards the big red door in the ramblings. The streets of the castle were lively, with all the inhabitants shedding their winter wrappings and filling the streets with wares, laughter and mirth. Even the once gloomy Manuscriptorium was now flourishing under the gentle eye of Beetle. As Jenna passed by on Wizard Way she spied Foxy up on a ladder, he was busying himself shining up the embossed letters of the store front when he saw her. Jenna noted with some humour that Foxy always seemed to act so nervously around her. In fact she had to rush forwards to steady his ladder, for when he saw her he nearly toppled off.

“Wotcha- oh, um, I mean, Good Morning, your.. uh… Highness” Foxy stammered, his eyes looking away from hers as he came down from the ladder.

Jenna smiled. “Wotcha Foxy,” she replied, slipping into the slang she had heard Beetle use so often, that she knew BOTH of her mothers would frown upon if they ever heard it. “Has Beetle got you cleaning up after the freeze then?” she asked with a nod towards the semi-glistening letters of the Manuscriptorium.

Foxy looked up at his work with a smile, “Oh, um yes he has your highness. We’ve got to get the place in order before Madam Overstrand comes by for her visit. Beetle want’s the place to look its best for her later. Sandwich?” Foxy offered, extending a hand that now held a previously concealed sausage sandwich.

Jenna repressed a slight scowl. Since when did Beetle care so much for Marcia? She guessed the two had been close but has assumed their relationship was strictly professional. Regarding the sandwich for a second time, she thanked Foxy for his offer and took the sandwich, promising to eat it later, and wrapped it in a hankerchief to carry with her on her walk. With a final wave and a smile Jenna left foxy to his shining and continued on her walk towards the ramblings.

The Ramblings were unchanged. The mass of buildings all stacked together were a nice reminder of Jenna’s childhood. As she drifted down the walkways she spied many people she recognised, Mr and Mrs Fetherram who often had time to slip Jenna a slice of cake when she was young, and even Old granny Teargum, whom she had thought moved out or worse as no one had seen her since the last freeze, was stretching out like an old alley cat embracing the coming warmth. Jenna slipped down a shortcut to avoid the kids attempting their navigation tests, and soon found herself before the familiar well and finally the big red door she had grown up behind. Jenna noted that the door was significantly less big now than the last time she had seen it, but Sarah had mentioned that Jenna was growing… Like a beanstalk, was how she described it. Regardless of the doors apparent size however, it recognised the now not so little girl that it had kept sheltered and safe for so many years during the dark times of the castle, and swung open to grant her access to the house she knew so well.

Sarah had had quite a busy morning. Each spring was the same in the Heap household. Even with her boys and dearest Jenna now living all over the castle, Sarah took some solace in the familiarity that the first days of spring brought. Silas was busying about collecting all his things to take the boys fishing, leaving the day to Sarah and Jenna. Most of the boys were now far better fishermen than Silas, with Nicko living at the dock yard, and 3 of her boys living around the Wendrons for so long. Even Simon and Septimus were becoming proficient fishermen, but didn’t show it too much as to not upset their father. Despite the bustle of the morning however, when the door swung open to reveal a slightly jostled Jenna Heap clutching a sausage sandwich for her father the house stood still for a moment. And with an intake of breath the chaos returned with the 7 boys crowding around their sister to say hello. Silas and Sara smiled. It was good to have the house so lively again, the chaos was just a side effect of their flourishing family. Sarah smiled softly to herself and Ethel quacked for attention in her bag. This was looking to be a good year.


End file.
